With I-CON 24
having been somewhat of a disappointment for me, I was somewhat apprehensive
about attending I-CON 25. Going to the I-CON had become somewhat of a
tradition, but I wasn’t certain that I would want to attend more than one day as
I had on previous occasions. The only saving grace – this I-CON was a special
number: number 25. My first I-CON was I-CON 20 and it was a great deal of fun.
The succeeding I-CONs were decent, but lacked something of the first one I
attended. I had hopes for this I-CON, being the 25th anniversary of
the event. My hopes were answered.

Entering
the registration room was a feat in itself, as hundreds of would-be attendees
lined up down the block and around the corner, waiting to buy tickets to the
event. Hundreds more were inside the registration room picking up tickets they
had bought online in advance. Many were dressed in the costumes of their
favorite movie, cartoon, and anime heroes. The tables in the registration room
were packed with registration materials, programs, free memorabilia and more.
Attendees roamed the room perusing the interesting wares being sold on the
surrounding tables. I immediately spotted
Goats creator Jonathan Rosenberg and rushed over
to strike up a conversation with him and R. Stevens, creator of the internet
comic
Diesel Sweeties. Then it was off to the other
tables where I perused everything from Celtic music to science fiction books
that were given away freely to those who wished to donate to the campus library.

Then, it was off
to the dealer room which had seen a dramatic change since my last visit. What
once seemed crowded and dreary was now bright and open. I had been worried that
the dealer’s room would be like that of I-CON 24, basically suited for the
gaming crowd, but things had changed this year. I was delighted to see that
there was quite a variety of tables this year. There was something for
everyone. Yes, there were gaming tables with dice, characters, costumes, etc,
but there were also comic book dealers, art dealers, and more. DVD and VHS sets
were discounted on the first day, unlike last year, when everything seemed to be
full price. There were more tables containing action figures and statues of
every variety including wrestling, sci-fi, comic heroes and more. There were
tables filled with books of all kinds – hardcovers, paperbacks, and collections
– all at reasonable prices. I was extremely happy to find a true bargain
amongst all the book tables. Klon Newell of Klon’s Interplanetary Books sold me
4 hardcover superhero guides, normally retailing for $20 apiece, for the low
price of just $20 for all four! I walked away with an extremely wide grin on my
face and two very heavy bags.

Also in
attendance were independent authors of science fiction novels, comic book
artists, and more, all hopeful that they might have found new fans among the
hundreds of science fiction, anime, and comic book fans thronging to their
tables. These authors and artists were on the ball, happily greeting all that
passed their table and drawing them in with exciting descriptions of their
wares.

I found many
interesting forms of memorabilia, from Lost survivor ID badges to patches
from every science fiction show that ever existed. I was disappointed in the
lack of superhero and movie image t-shirts available. I had bought my favorite
Batman shirt at the first I-CON I attended and have been looking for more
shirts of its caliber ever since. Although, I must say, if I were a Superman
fan, I’d have been in heaven at one particular kiosk which sold an assortment of
original Superman designs. Also available were t-shirts containing
beautifully artistic renditions of animals and fantasy creatures and some that
contained funny little sayings, all selling at reasonable prices.

My awkward geek
moment came when I arrived at the Signatory Tables. There, seated before me was
actor Marc Singer who I had watched in several shows including the movie Beastmaster and the mini-series V. Having been a terrific fan of the
V movies and the television series that followed, I was awestruck that
one of the major players was seated before me. I was even more surprised when
the actor stood up and started shaking hands with everyone who walked by. It
was a dream come true. As I shook hands with Marc Singer, I remember stammering
something about watching him on V as a kid (something I’m sure he loved
hearing from an adult) and smiling the grin of a stupefied idiot. It was a true
geek moment, and something that I haven’t experienced in quite some time.

My only
complaint about the dealer room was the lack of actual comic books. There were
some comic book dealers, but most of the comics sold were either super old and
therefore super expensive, or brand new and not of much interest to me. I had
been looking to complete my collection of Birds of Prey comics, but
couldn’t find one dealer who was selling them. My favorite hero, Batgirl / Oracle, was found on very few tables, mostly in a goofy anime depiction.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events, I found myself wholly enjoying my
experience in the Dealer Room.

After last
year’s Art Show experience, there was no way I was missing the show this time
around! This year, the coordinators of the I-CON decided that the Art Room
should be in a separate location than the Dealer Room, thus providing more room
for tables in the Dealer Room, and a huge amount of space for the various and
plentiful amounts of art submitted for perusal and purchase. On display were
works of art completed in various mediums, such as sculpture, digital prints,
acrylics, sketches, and more. As you enter the room, you are captivated by the
artwork of Rob Granito, whose renditions of your favorite movie characters and
superheroes are so detailed as to be lifelike. To the right of Rob Granito’s
display were sculptures of castles, dragons, gargoyles, and more. All around
the room there were wonders to behold from simple sketches to lifelike images.
I was particularly taken in by a digital print of a mermaid pulling on a
fisherman’s line, holding hr finger to her lips as if to ask the viewer to keep
their silence at her little joke. I believe it was called Naughty Mermaid, but
unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of the artist.

But the I-CON
experience didn’t end there! Not by a long shot! There was so much to do and
so much to see, I found it virtually impossible to take it all in. There were
new movies to see, like Batman Begins,
The Chronicles of Narnia,
and Serenity. There were old favorites like The Time Machine and
Most Dangerous Game. The I-CON wouldn’t be complete without a
performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Gamers were kept very
happy in the brand new gaming location. There were several opportunities to
meet authors, comic book creators, game creators, actors, artists and more. I
had been interested in the rocketry launch held in the Athletic Fields, as I
believed that it was the first time the ICON had held such an event and I had
seen some of the rocket models in the Dealer Room. Alas, I missed the launch –
there was just so much taking place at once!

Believe me, I’m
not complaining. At past I-CONs, I’ve wished that there were more events, more
dealers…in short, more to do. I-CON 25 had it all! It has me psyched to attend
I-CON 26, which takes place at Stony Brook University on March 23-25, 2007!